Spirally contractable mop wringing attachment for scrub buckets



Aug. 24, 1948. A. STRATTMAN 2,447,917

SPIRALLY CONTRACTABLE MOP WRINGING ATTACHMENT FOR SGRUB BUCKETS Filed March 22, 1946 Patented Aug. 24, 1948 SPIRALLY CONTRACTABLE Mor WRINGING ATTACHMENT FOR SCRUB BUCKETS .Edwin A. Strattman, New Orleans, La. H Application'March 22, 1946, Serial 190,656,417

The invention relates to mop wringers of the general type disclosed in my U. S. patent application Serial No. 621,890, filed October 12, 1945, in which a frusto-conical sleeve is formed from a single resilient sheet suitably curved and having its ends slidably overlapped, the outer end being provided with means for connecting it with a bucket side wall and the inner end having means to be engaged by a handle-carried mop when said mop is inserted into the sleeve and rotated, thus causing spiral contraction of the sleeve to squeeze the mop.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved construction which is greatly simplified and may be, therefore, manufactured at less expense and profitably marketed at less cost, the efiiciency of the device being unimpaired by the simplification.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing is a perspective view showing the wringer mounted in the upper portion of a scrub bucket.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing the manner in which the sleeve is spirally contracted when the mop is inserted and rotated.

A preferred construction has been illustrated and will be rather specifically described, with the understanding, however, that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

A one-piece, resilient, perforated sheet 5, preferably though not necessarily formed from spring steel, is curved to provide a frusto-conical sleeve 6 for disposition in the upper portion of an ordinary scrub bucket. The ends I and 8 of the sheet are overlapped and slidably contact with each other, and the tension of said sheet is such that when these ends occupy the relation of Figs. 1 and 3, the sleeve has no tendency to either open or close under the resiliency of the material.

I provide suitable means 9 for connecting the outer end 1 of the sheet 5 with a bucket side wall Ill, said means preferably comprising a clamping bolt H passing through an opening in the sheet end 1, and inner and outer clamping members l2 and I3 on said bolt to embrace the upper end of the side wall ID. The bolt II is formed with a flat head I 4 confined between the sheet ends 1 and 8, and near said head, said bolt is preferably shouldered at l5 to abut the clamping member l2. Thus, the sleeve 6 may be pivotally hung from the bolt instead of being tight- '3. Claims. (01. 15-263) a 2 ly clamped between the bolt head I4 and. the member l2. By having the bolt head 1 4 disposed between the sheet ends I and 8, it is guarded against contact with the mop and there is no danger of any of the strands of said mop catching under said head.

The inner end 8 of the sheet 5 is formed with a return bend [6 providing it with a vertically elongated hook l1, and at the terminal of this hook, the material is preferably folded upon itself at I8 to present a rounded edge to the mop.

When a handle-carried mop is inserted into the sleeve 6 and simply pressed downwardly therein, some of the water will be squeezed out of said mop and in some cases, this is suificient. However, for more intense squeezing, the mop is rotated as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 4. During such rotation, the mop is temporarily connected with the inner end of the resilient sheet by means of the flange l1 and thus spirally contracts the sleeve 6, with the result that the mop is eifectively squeezed. It is preferable that the hook I! be inclined somewhat instead of being disposed in a truly vertical position (Fig. 3). This inclination is with respect to a diametrical plane through the sleeve and in a direction having a tendency to pull the mop downwardly as it is being rotated, and to some extent overcomes the tendency of the mop to be forced upwardly by the flare or conioity of the sleeve 6 as the latter is being contracted.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that a novel and advantageous construction has been provided for attaining the desired end, and while a preferred construction has been illustrated, attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A mop wringer comprising a one-piece resilient perforated sheet curved into the form of a frusto-conical sleeve, the ends of said sheet being overlapped and slidably contacting with each other to impart continuity to the side wall of said frusto-conical sleeve, said overlapped ends of said resilient sheet being free from attachment to each other to permit spiral contraction of said sleeve and to allow said sleeve to be selfexpanding to normal diameter after contraction, and means for anchoring the outer end only of said resilient sheet to a bucket side wall to contractably support said frusto-conical sleeve with its larger end disposed upwardly for reception of a handle-carried mop, the inner end of said resilient sheet having an inward return .bend providing it with an integral hook disposed at the side wall of said frusto-conical sleeve and extending substantially from the upper to the lower end of said sleeve to temporarily connect said inner end of said resilient sheet with the mop while rotating the latter in a direction to contract said sleeve.

2. A structure as specified .in claim 1; said hook being inclined rearwardly with respect to the direction of rotation of the mop and in a direction to exert a downward pull on the mop during rotation, thereby decreasing the tendency of the frusto-conical sleeve to force the mop upwardly during contraction of said sleeve.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1; said means for connecting said outer end of said sheet with the bucket side wall including a bolt passing through said outer end of said sheet, said bolt having a fiat head confined between the overlapped ends of said sheet, whereby said head is guarded against contact with the mop, preventing strands of the latter from catching under said head.

EDWIN A. STRAITMAN.

REFERENCES CITED 

